1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to programmable-pattern area-imaging electron beam (e-beam) lithography.
2. Description of the Background Art
One type of e-beam lithography system uses point sources or shaped beams for writing specific shapes. With a point source or shaped beam, the beam is not influenced by space-charge or other effects due to the presence of closely neighboring beams. Another type of e-beam lithography system uses fixed electron transmission stencil masks.
Another type of e-beam lithography system is a programmable-pattern area-imaging type which uses a collection of electron beams (i.e. a patterned beam covering an area) to print a pattern swath by swath on a substrate. Programmable-pattern area-imaging electron beam lithography systems include programmable electron-beam reflection systems, programmable electron-beam transmission systems, and programmable electron-beam emission systems.